Pender seeks full-time animal shelter manager

Published: Monday, July 15, 2013 at 9:16 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, July 15, 2013 at 9:16 p.m.

Pender County is advertising for a full-time animal shelter manager after commissioners approved the health director's request to fill that position and establish more organizational structure.

The request to fill the position had some asking what the decision last week means to current shelter manager Darlene Clewis.

Some officials said Clewis didn't officially have the title of shelter manager, although she's listed with that title in a volunteer procedures manual approved by commissioners and adopted for the shelter in February.

Commissioner Chester Ward, who opposed adding the shelter manager position to the county pay and classification plan, said County Manager Michael Duvall put Clewis in charge of the shelter after he assumed responsibility for its day-to-day operations in January, a responsibility previously held by the sheriff's office.

Health Director Carolyn Moser, who said her department was given responsibility for the shelter in April, said Clewis' job description remains as animal control officer II but that new job descriptions have to be drafted for shelter employees.

Moser said once a manager is in place, she and the manager will discuss how to set up an organizational structure for employees.

Volunteer orientations, required for people who want to volunteer at the shelter, also are on hold, Moser said.

"It's kind of crazy to take that step until we have an organizational structure in place," Moser said. "We all recognize volunteers are very important; we need them, but we need to have a strong program. Until we get a manager out there that can spend more time to get that off the ground, we are holding off on that."

Under Duvall's oversight, a new focus on the use of social media to promote pet adoptions emerged. But as of last week the shelter's revitalized Facebook page, which some said helped boost adoptions, was shut down and the part-time position added earlier this year to maintain the page, photograph animals and post pictures was discontinued.

"I decided not to go that route because I'm a firm believer that we don't need to pay for that service," Moser said, adding volunteers could do the job.

Moser also said the Facebook page failed to keep information current about animals needing adoption.

"Pet Finder uploads within the hour, and so if you adopt an animal out, it's going to automatically within an hour let people know that that animal is no longer available," Moser said. "Trying to manage a Facebook page with a part-time individual just wasn't working."

She said she wanted to prevent calls about animals that were no longer available.

"Pet Finder right now is the only thing we're using until we can get a strong volunteer group out there that can manage the Facebook page," Moser said.

Moser said the salary that went toward that discontinued part-time position would help pay for the new manager position.

<p>Pender County is advertising for a full-time animal shelter manager after commissioners approved the health director's request to fill that position and establish more organizational structure.</p><p>The request to fill the position had some asking what the decision last week means to current shelter manager Darlene Clewis.</p><p>Some officials said Clewis didn't officially have the title of shelter manager, although she's listed with that title in a volunteer procedures manual approved by commissioners and adopted for the shelter in February.</p><p>Commissioner Chester Ward, who opposed adding the shelter manager position to the county pay and classification plan, said County Manager Michael Duvall put Clewis in charge of the shelter after he assumed responsibility for its day-to-day operations in January, a responsibility previously held by the sheriff's office.</p><p>Health Director Carolyn Moser, who said her department was given responsibility for the shelter in April, said Clewis' job description remains as animal control officer II but that new job descriptions have to be drafted for shelter employees.</p><p>Moser said once a manager is in place, she and the manager will discuss how to set up an organizational structure for employees.</p><p>Volunteer orientations, required for people who want to volunteer at the shelter, also are on hold, Moser said.</p><p>"It's kind of crazy to take that step until we have an organizational structure in place," Moser said. "We all recognize volunteers are very important; we need them, but we need to have a strong program. Until we get a manager out there that can spend more time to get that off the ground, we are holding off on that."</p><p>Under Duvall's oversight, a new focus on the use of social media to promote pet adoptions emerged. But as of last week the shelter's revitalized <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/facebook"><b>Facebook</b></a> page, which some said helped boost adoptions, was shut down and the part-time position added earlier this year to maintain the page, photograph animals and post pictures was discontinued.</p><p>"I decided not to go that route because I'm a firm believer that we don't need to pay for that service," Moser said, adding volunteers could do the job.</p><p>Moser also said the Facebook page failed to keep information current about animals needing adoption.</p><p>"Pet Finder uploads within the hour, and so if you adopt an animal out, it's going to automatically within an hour let people know that that animal is no longer available," Moser said. "Trying to manage a Facebook page with a part-time individual just wasn't working."</p><p>She said she wanted to prevent calls about animals that were no longer available.</p><p>"Pet Finder right now is the only thing we're using until we can get a strong volunteer group out there that can manage the Facebook page," Moser said. </p><p>Moser said the salary that went toward that discontinued part-time position would help pay for the new manager position.</p><p>Metro Desk: 343-2387</p>